Artemis
Introduction Artemis is the Virgin Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. She is one of the Three Virgin Goddesses (the other two being Athena and Hestia). Her parents are the God Zeus and the Titan Leto. She also has a twin brother, Apollo. She is one of the Twelve Olympians. Her Roman Name is Diana. History When Hera (Zeus's wife) found out about Leto's affair with Zeus, she flew into a jealous rage. This rage worsened when she learned of Leto's pregnancy. But when Leto was in labour, Hera flew into action. She forced all of the land masses on earth to shun Leto as a punishment for coming between her and Zeus. Tired, and ready to give birth, Leto searched desperately for a place to rest. She later arrived at the floating island of Delos, which was kinder and not afraid of Hera's wrath. After a long day, Leto gave birth to Artemis late in the night. She later helped her mother deliver her twin brother, Apollo, at the crack of dawn. Just when Artemis was old enough to walk, she approached her father and asked him if she could take the vow to always remain a virgin, and for control of the forests and mountains. Zeus agreed. Artemis then spent the rest of her childhood searching for the necessary tools she would need to spend the remainder of her life as a virgin: *For a Silver Bow and Arrows to match *For Thirteen Hunting Dogs (Six male, Seven female) *For Six Silver Stags *For loyal Huntresses to accompany her on her journies﻿ Aquired Weapons *Silver Bow and Arrows (along with a Silver Quiver) *Silver Chariot (pulled by her Silver Stags) Attributes﻿ *'Sacred Animals' - Stags, Hunting Dogs, and Bears *'Symbols' - The Moon, Bows and Arrows Other Family *Hera, Demeter, Hestia (Aunts) *Poseidon, Hades (Uncles) *Dionysus, Hermes, Athena, Ares, Hephaestus, Persephone, Perseus, Hercules (Half-Siblings) People Influenced By Artemis *'Actaeon' - One day, this hunter (along with his hunting dogs) followed Artemis into a forest, where he witnessed her bathing in a spring. When Artemis got out, she saw him spying behind a tree. Enraged, she turned him into a stag, in which he was devoured by his hunting dogs. *'The Aloadae' - These twins were very mean and obnoxious, and they boasted of their superiority. One day, they told how they would rape and enslave every Goddess on Mount Olympus. Artemis was the only Goddess not afraid of the threat, so she decided to confront them in the form of a stag. The brothers then tried to kill the stag, but in their haste to kill Artemis, they ended up killing each other. *'Bouphagos' - One day, this hunter approached Artemis and tried to rape her. In defense, Artemis banished him to Mount Pholoe. *'Niobe' - She was a vicious queen that lived in Ampion with her fourteen children. She boasted of how she was superior than Leto, for she had more children. Artemis and Apollo together killed all of her children as a punishment for her cruel clame. They then turned Niobe to stone. *'Orion '- Orion once saw Artemis, and fell in love with her at first sight. As he approached her, he was killed by a scorpion sent by Gaia, for she thought he was trying to rape Artemis. When Artemis saw his remains, she turned him into the famous constillation. ﻿